Edvard Munch’s iconic The Scream on View at MOMA

NEW YORK, September 18, 2012—Edvard Munch's iconic The Scream (1895), among the most celebrated and recognized images in art history, will go on view at The Museum of Modern Art for a period of six months beginning October 24. Of the four versions of The Scream made by Munch between 1893 and 1910, this pastel-on-board from 1895 is the only one remaining in private hands. The three other versions are in the collections of museums in Norway. The Scream is being lent by a private collector, and will be on view at MoMA through April 29, 2013.

"As an iconic image, The Scream has garnered worldwide attention for its stark portrayal of the human condition," said Glenn D. Lowry, Director of The Museum of Modern Art. "For the Museum's visitors, this will be a rare opportunity to see this extraordinary work of art."

"The startling power of Munch's original work endures almost despite the image's present-day ubiquity," noted Ann Temkin, The Marie-Josée and Henry Kravis Chief Curator of Painting and Sculpture, who is organizing the installation. "The visual subtlety and complexity of this composition can't be summed up in a cliché."

A haunting rendition of a hairless figure on a bridge under a yellow-orange sky, The Scream has captured the popular imagination since the time of its making. The image was originally conceived by Munch as part of the epic Frieze of Life series, which explored the progression of modern life by focusing on the themes of love, angst, and death. Especially concerned with the expressive representation of emotions and personal relationships, Munch was associated with the international development of Symbolism during the 1890s and recognized as a precursor of twentieth-century Expressionism.

The Scream will be installed in the Museum's galleries for painting and sculpture along with a selection of prints by Munch drawn from the Museum's extensive collection of his work.